Montana Weathers, a 10-year-old boy from Chicago, was visiting relatives in Gary, Indiana, during the Fourth of July holiday weekend when gunfire shattered a family gathering in the 200 block of Chase Street. Shortly before 1 a.m. on July 5, 2026, shots were fired toward the home’s front porch and entrance, striking Montana in the head and seriously wounding a 51-year-old man in the abdomen.
Before police reached the scene, the wounded man drove himself and Montana to Methodist
Northlake Hospital. Montana was pronounced dead at the hospital at approximately 1:43 a.m. The adult victim was later transferred to a Chicago-area hospital in critical condition. The Lake County Coroner’s Office subsequently identified Montana as the child who had been killed.
Investigators said the violence followed an argument at the holiday gathering involving Ernesto Posadas, a 31-year-old Chicago man, and his girlfriend. According to court records, Posadas was confronted during the dispute, told to leave and allegedly drove away in his girlfriend’s vehicle without permission. Prosecutors allege that he later returned to the residence in a black Chrysler Pacifica minivan accompanied by another armed man.
A Ring doorbell camera reportedly recorded the minivan arriving outside the home. Investigators allege that Posadas emerged from the driver’s side while demanding to know who had punched him. Posadas and the unidentified second man were then reportedly seen pointing handguns toward the porch and entryway and opening fire. Montana, Posadas’ girlfriend and other people were near the front of the home when the shooting began. Authorities said someone at the gathering returned fire as the two gunmen fled.
Detectives reviewed video recorded earlier in the evening and said Posadas appeared to be wearing the same distinctive Chicago Bears shirt visible on the person identified as one of the shooters. License-plate reader information was also reportedly used to trace the minivan’s movements before and after the attack.
Gary police officers arrested Posadas later that day during a traffic stop on Interstate 80/94. During questioning, he allegedly first denied being in Indiana during the holiday gathering. Investigators said he later admitted attending the celebration and leaving after the argument but continued to deny returning to the home or participating in the shooting. Court records state that after detectives showed him additional surveillance images, he briefly acknowledged that he was the person depicted before withdrawing the statement and requesting an attorney.
Posadas was charged with murder, three counts of attempted murder, aggravated battery, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, multiple unlawful handgun-possession offenses and auto theft. Prosecutors said his criminal history includes a 2018 aggravated-kidnapping conviction in Cook County, Illinois, which allegedly places him within Indiana’s legal classification of a serious violent felon. He was taken to the Lake County Jail while the criminal case proceeded.
Authorities have indicated that another armed man was allegedly present and participated in the shooting, but publicly available reports had not identified or announced the arrest of that second suspect. The Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force and Gary Police Department continued investigating the attack, including the identities and actions of everyone involved. The charges against Posadas remain allegations, and the case had not reached a trial or conviction.
